Jewel case



April 6, 1948. FOX 2,439,045

JEWEL CASE Filed Sept. 25, 1944 [N V EN TOR.

I A TTORNEK Patented Apr. 6, 1948 7UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JEWEL CASE.

Philip Fox, Bala, Pa. Application September 25, 1944, Serial No. 555,666

My invention relates to jewel cases, and more particularly to a device adapted to receive articles of jewelry and to display the same in a novel and. attractive manner when it is desired to do so.

My invention contemplates the provision of a case for articles of jewelry such as rings or brooches, normally enclosed in the interior of the case which is made in simulation of an artificial flower the petals of which are adapted to be simultaneously opened to expose attractively the article of jewelry contained within the case.

The nature and characteristic features of the invention will be more readily understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming part hereof in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a jewel case embodying the main features of the present invention, the same being shown with the petals closed to conceal from view the article enclosed therein:

Fig. 2 is a top or plan view of the case with the petals in the opened position;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the device with the petals shown in the positions indicated in Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is an underneath plan view illustrating certain of the means for actuating the petals to the open or closed positions.

It will be of course understood that the description and drawings herein are illustrative merely, and that various modifications and changes may be made in the structure disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, in the particular embodiment of the invention therein shown, 5 is a base member made in any desired shape and of any suitable material. However the base member 5 should be made hollow for a purpose to be presently explained, and the rim portion thereof should be disposed in a horizontal plane so that the same may conveniently rest upon the top of a bureau, table, or other supporting structure. Certain of the modern plastics will be found quite adapted for this purpose. Hinged to the base member as at 6 are petals l which may be provided in any desired number, four being shown by way of illustration.

Each of the petals i may be made of any suitable material as, for example, a suitable textile material shaped to the desired outlines and curvatures and stiffened with suitable sizing, However, if desired, the petals I may be made of sheet metal, formed cardboard, or even certain of the plastics may be used, the same being suitably,

4 Claims, (Cl. 206-4517) 2 l shaped and formed as required for the proper functioning.

Each of the petals I may be provided with a stiffening wire 8 which may extend part way up the body of the petal and also extends downwardly below the hinge B, to one of the members of which the wire 8 is secured and thence extends to a cam groove 9 ina member I ll which is rotatably mounted in the hollow portion of the base 5 of the structure.

The cam member ii] is journaled on a pivot screw H which is threaded into a portion of the base member 5. Secured to the rotatable cam member I0 is an extending lever arm [2, which passes through a slot l3 in the base member 5, and is provided on its outer end with a ball knob member M which is adapted to be engaged by a finger of the user to actuate the same.

Mounted on the upper face of the base member 5 and enclosed within the petals 1 is a cushion device I5 adapted to receive the article of jewelry. The cushion device l5 may be slotted, if so desired, to receive an article such as a ring, or if the same is to be used for brooches or other articles provided with pin elements, the same may comprise merely a plain stufied cushion.

Disposed around the base of the petals 1 there may be provided a plurality of radially disposed leaves Hi which may be separate pieces glued or otherwise secured to the base member 5, or if preferred, the same may be moulded directly in said base member.

The operation of the device will be readily apparent. The article of jewelry having been mounted in or on the cushion device I5, the actuation of the knob M on the end of the lever arm [2 will cause the cam plate in to be rotated and in this manner, through the engagement of the cam grooves in said plate member by the wires extending downwardly from the petals, said petals 1 may be brought to the closed or open position either to conceal or to disclose in a pleas-- ing manner the article of jewelry mounted on the cushion device l5.

It will be'noted that the base portion of the device is made hollow for the purpose of containing the means for actuating each of the petals 1 from one position to the other, and that the only visible portion of the actuating mechanism is the knob M which is adapted to be manually actuated in the manner above described. By the arrangement as herein described there is provided a novel and attractive device which may not only serve as a repository for a jewel, but

3 which will add to its attractiveness when used as a delivery package for the jewel.

I claim:

1. A jewelry case comprising a hollow base member shaped to rest upon a flat supporting surface, a plurality of petals made in simulation of the petals of a flower hingedly secured to said base member, a cushion member adapted to have articles of jewelry mounted thereon and enclosed within the petals when the same are in their closed position, and means contained within the hollow base member for simultaneously moving the petals from one position to the other, said means comprising a rotatable cam member en gaged by projecting portions of the petals whereby said petals may be brought to the closed or open positions by the actuation of saidcamplate.

2. A jewelry case comprising a hollow base member shaped to rest upon a flat supporting surface, a plurality of petals made in simulation of the petals of a flower hingedly secured to said base member, a cushion member adapted to have articles of jewelry mounted thereon and enclosed within the petals when the same are in their closed position, and means contained with-in the hollow base member for simultaneously moving the petals from one position to the other, said means comprising a rotatable cam member having grooves therein engaging projecting portions of the petals, and a manually operable member for actuating the cam member thereby to bring the petals to the closed or open positions.

.3. A jewelry case comprising a hollow base member shaped to rest upon a fiat supporting surface, a plurality of petals made in simulation of the petals of a flower hingeclly secured to said base member, a cushion member adapted to have articles of jewelry mounted thereon and enclosed within the petals when the same are in their closed position, and means contained within the hollow base member for simultaneously moving the petals from one position to the other, said meanscomprising a rotatable cam member hav- 4 ing grooves therein engaging projecting portions of the petals, and a lever arm extending from said cam member and adapted to be engaged by the user to actuate the cam member and thereby bring the petals to the closed or open positions. 4. A jewelry case comprising a hollow base member having its rim portion disposed in a horizontal plane thereby to rest upon a flat supporting surface, a plurality of petals made in' simulation of the petals of a flower hingedly secured to said base member, a cushion member 7 adapted to have articles of jewelry mounted thereon, said cushion member being enclosed within the petals when the same are in their closed positions, and mechanism contained within the hollow base member for simultaneously moving the petals from one position to the other, said mechanism having a member extending through an opening in the wall of the base member for manual actuation to-open and close the petals.

PHILIP FOX.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS- 

